Two babies born in cars, one while on freeway, within 24 hours

Shown is the emergency room waiting area at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, the hospital where one of the newborns was taken.

Shown is the emergency room waiting area at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, the hospital where one of the newborns was taken. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Saba Hamedy

Two newborn babies didn’t let Southern California traffic get in the way of their debuts.

Early Thursday morning, shortly after midnight, a baby girl was born in a parking lot in the 7500 block of Atlantic Avenue, said L.A. County Fire Department Inspector Scott Miller.

Despite arriving at the scene a few minutes after the parents called for help, paramedics showed up after the baby did, Miller said.

The family was taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, Miller said.

Another baby, a boy, was born while on the westbound 22 Freeway, close to the Main Street exit, in Orange County at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

Firefighter paramedics arrived on scene shortly after the baby was born and provided supportive care, Concialdi said. They cut the baby’s umbilical cord and then cleaned and wrapped him in a warm blanket.

The baby boy is the mother's fourth child and she was a day overdue, he said. She and her husband were taken to St Joseph’s Hospital.